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African Journal of Business and Economic Research Vol 7 No1 2012 (Gues editors:Nnamdi O. Madichie, Daphne HalkiasJohn O. Okpara),

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ISSN : 1750-4562 (online)/ 1750-4554 (print)

Table of Contents :

Islamic Marketing in Egypt: Evolution and Implications
Hamed M. Shamma and Yahia Maher 9

Islamic marketing continues to gain more attention and awareness in both Islamic and non-Islamic countries. In this paper we examine the evolution of Islamic marketing and address its implications. The paper starts with a literature review of studies that address Islamic marketing. Then we explore the evolution of Islamic marketing in five key areas: banking, food, fashion, satellite broadcasting, and Internet. We focus on Islamic marketing in Egypt and provide examples from other countries in the Islamic world such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Keywords:Islamic marketing, Islamic banking, Islamic fashion, halal, Islamic broadcasting, Internet, Egypt

Destination branding: Managing uncertainties in the MENA region—The cases of Dubai and Tunisia
Omar Trimeche, Marouane Trimeche and Yasunaga Wakabayashi24

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the branding of destinations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region through the analysis of recent cases of Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and Tunisia. This conceptual paper aims to emphasize the fact that destinations in the region remain vulnerable to uncertainties and external shocks, as Dubai’s image has been impacted by the global financial crisis, and the perception of Tunisia as a tourist destination was influenced by the popular uprisings that the country has recently witnessed. Acritical review of the literature relevant to place marketing, destination branding, and destination positioning was conducted. Primary data was collected in order to gain insight on how destinations can be branded as well as the various challenges they may face especially in the context of the MENA region, and secondary research was primarily used to develop the cases, analyze the main aspects forming the destinations’ brands and identify the various challenges and opportunities emerging in the aftermath of these recent developments.

Keywords: Destination branding, Tunisia, Dubai, Literature review

An Exploratory Investigation of the Marketing Practices Conducted by Islamic Banks in Egypt
Mariam Abou-Youssef, Wael Kortam, Ehab Abo Aish, and Noha El-Bassiouny47

This empirical paper attempts to understand the marketing practices followed by Islamic banks in Egypt. Using in-depth interviews with marketing practitioners working in Islamic banks, the major marketing practices are assessed. These marketing practices are related to segmentation techniques, major elements of integrated marketing communications applied in their campaigns, and the evaluation tools adopted to assess the success of such campaigns. Seven in-depth interviews, with marketing professionals working in major Islamic banks in Egypt, were implemented during May and June 2010. Some of the Islamic banks interviewed are implementing aggressive integrated marketing communication campaigns and they are fully aware of relevant marketing practices and knowledge. However, the major challenge is that Egyptian consumers are not aware of their presence or of the basic difference between conventional and Islamic banks. This is attributed to the lack of trust in Islamic bank operations in Egypt and the limited marketing activities implemented by Islamic banks as compared to conventional banks. Thus for Islamic banks to grow in Egypt, they need to implement fierce awareness campaigns to educate consumers about their presence and about the Islamic products offered.

Keywords: Segmentation, Marketing Communications, Islamic Banking, Islamic Marketing, Egypt

The Role of Sharia’a in Shaping Egyptian Consumers’ Behavior towards Sales Promotion Tools
Dalia Abdel Rahman Farrag 64

This study measures to what extent ‘compliance with Shariah’ moderates the relationship between different sales promotion tools, namely price discount, product demonstration/sampling, buy one get one free (bonus pack), sweepstakes/lucky draws, scratch and win offers and free samples, and three consumer behavioral responses (product trial, stockpiling, and spending more) forbuying convenient products from supermarkets in Alexandria and Cairo.A total of 381 selected Muslim consumers/shoppers were surveyed via face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Overall correlation analysis between the six proposed sales promotion tools and consumers’ response behavior in general demonstrated a significant relationship. Furthermore, correlation analysis initially indicated that there is a positive significant relationship between all sales promotion tools and compliance with Shariah with exception of sweepstakes and scratch and win offers that demonstrated a significant negative relationship.

Key words: Sales promotion tools, Behavioral responses, Compliance with Shariah, Egyptian Muslims,Convenience products

Islamic Tourism: Exploring Perceptions & Possibilities in Egypt
Ingy M. Hamza, Rabab Chouhoud, and Passent Tantawi 85

The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibilities and underlying challenges for implementing Islamic tourism in Egypt. It also evaluates through qualitative techniques the awareness and acceptance of this new concept from the Egyptian consumer\'s point of view. Two focus groups and 12 in-depth interviews were used to serve the purpose of qualitative data collection. Narrative analysis of the qualitative data showed a general acceptance of Islamic Tourism as a concept, though spontaneous awareness is fairly low. Insights into the extent of which the conservative concept is to be implemented are of value to tourism industry managers. Due to the qualitative nature of the data, results are not generalisable or statistically objective. Given the attempts at an inductive theory where no previous research on Islamic Tourism has used descriptive models and hypotheses, the data nature limitation is justifiable. The small non-representative sample imposes a restraint given time constraints of the researchers. This paper uniquely concerns an under-developed area of academic study – i.e. examining the role of Muslim consumer awareness, attitude and acceptance of a new tourism option in the tourism concept\'s ultimate implementation.

Keywords: Islamic Tourism, Branding, Egypt

An Exploratory enquiry into the Challenges of Modern Retailing on Muslim Consumers in Northern Nigeria
Abubakar Muhtari Yusuf and Nnamdi O. Madichie99

This exploratory study seeks to articulate those store attributes that may be unique to modern retailing, and which Muslim consumers may use in gauging either an acceptance of (or unease with) modern retail stores/ products. The study is based on the proposition that religiosity can and does significantly affect shopping behavior. In our critical enquiry we relied upon 600 structured questionnaires administered randomly at supermarkets in three Muslim-dominant cities in Northern Nigeria – notably Kano, Katsina and Zaria. While our respondents seemed quite comfortable with shopping alongside the opposite sex in the same supermarket in a non-segregated manner, their concerns laid elsewhere. Although most respondents seemed quite happy with the marketers’ pricing strategies; store ambience and product range; they expressed reservations over the perceived deceptive and/ or dishonest promotional strategies adopted by marketers. We suggest that there may not be much difference, after all, in attitudes towards retailing along religious lines. Hence we posit that rather than marketers trying to create these perceived differences, they should spend more quality time improving upon the similar concerns over more honest promotional efforts.

Keywords: Muslim consumers, deceptive promotions, retailing, Northern Nigeria.

What Constitutes ‘Business Ethics’ in Islam?
Aishatu Usman Muhammad115

The paper is a modest attempt at examining Islamic ethics in business with a view to identifying the possibilities and constraints in applying such ethical provisions in a contemporary economic setting. Content analysis has been utilized in the course of the research, and the work reveals that Islamic ethics, though widely acclaimed to be divinely ordained, seem unable to thrive in the face of the prevailing global economic system. The dearth of relevant literature and public disenchantment with the subject among others constitute the limitations of the research work.

The paper is of importance to scholars, policymakers, economic analysts, and the general public as it will serve as a tool for further intellectual/social inquiry.

Keywords: Business Ethics, Islamic values, Teaching.

[abstract]


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